For the past nearly 10 years we've taken advantage of the early boarding (relied on the younger, 4-year old for the latter part). We are not jetsetters like all y'all on here, but with just leisure travel, our 9-year old is pushing 200k miles, and the little one would have hit 100k by now but for covid.

I am perfectly happy, and thankful, to be able to board after Zones 1 and 2 whenever we are in Y. Was a little surprised in FRA this summer when they called families with small children first (LH), and actually felt a little weird.

I hate -- HATE -- the idiotic jockeying for position, and the veritable stampede at times, of people with babies strapped to their chests and a thousand bags, who get to the gate and don't have their passports and boarding passes ready and organized for the GA.

Another pet peeve of travelling with children is that whenever we are in J, other families perceive us as the "competition", and on one occasion we were blocked from getting through (had just landed on a short connection and arrived at the gate when they were calling Zone 2). It didn't make that much of a difference, we boarded with that group, but goshdarn it, I paid for that privilege.

A related complaint is GAs, and others, assuming that we are not in Zone 1 just because we are travelling with small children. It kind of ticks me off, but I guess if this new pilot takes, it won't be an issue. I was even thinking of funny things to say when we almost invariably get admonished that "this line is for Zone 1 only!". [Forrest Gump voice, flashing boarding pass]: "I may not be a smart man but I know how to count to one".

We've been flying J more often lately (more segments in J than Y this year, in fact), and I was getting a taste for the good life, and was looking forward to some extra perks with the Visa Privilege added to the mix when in Y. All for nought! Can't even imagine how you various xxK/Super Elites who've earned your status the hard way feel.